Thursday, September 11, 2014

1800000 Catalans concentrated today in Barcelona mapping a red and yellow V -V for Voting-A peaceful and plural popular movement, people of all ages and ideologies, protesting together, demanding to vote. Catalonia was defeated 300 years ago, September 11th, 1714. Today Catalans are reminiscing that day after three centuries of oppression. But this is not a matter of nationalism. This is people fighting for their culture and for democracy.

And why Spain doesn't allow a referendum in Catalonia?

Because Spain is currently governed by the heirs of the Dictatorship.The transition in Spain hasn't ended. The fascist regime has not been overcome. And a clear sign of this is the fact that in Spain people still refers to the dictatorship period as Franquismo (for Franco), and not as Fascism. Like pretending that Francisco Franco authoritarian regime was not the same as the Italian or German fascism, but something lighter, acceptable and not condemnable.

There are still standing monuments from that time. There is still a place where one can homage the Dictator, a huge monument to the regime built by war prisoners. There is still a monarchy in Spain, leaded by the son of who was put there by Francisco Franco. There has never been a trial.In Spain, today, not only a democratic referendum is denied (against the right to self-determination), but ultra retrograde right wing politics are being imposed... restrictive laws regarding abortion and street protests, heavy riot police, oppressive economic politics and so. The ghost of the dictatorship is still here. Catalans will vote, legally or not, on November 9th. It would be good if the world supported people claiming for democracy, and looked critically to the real situation in Spain.